Hine receives a substantial tax bill from the Inland Revenue, which he mentions to Walpole Gibb, looking for help. Gibb's next meeting, though, is at the American Embassy where they are anxious to put pressure on Hine to curtail his business in the small Middle Eastern state of Sabat; Gibb responds that Hine is quite independent, but does mention his financial difficulties. Hine's wife, Liz, is down in London on business and offers to sell her firm to help. The following day, he is offered a 'consultancy' role by the Americans, which he accepts in preference to Liz's offer after forcing them higher - not least by very publicly sending Jeremy Windsor out to Sabat, cancelling a small contract with them on his return. Only then does he discover that Sabat is quite deliberately being left isolated, much to Gibb's disappointment.